Swiss Diocese sees PM’s calls as direct attack on Church

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Switzerland Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church has announced its complete solidarity and support for the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and the Catholicos of All Armenians.

They note that the Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s calls concerning the election of a new Catholicos are “seen as a direct attack on the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin” in the Diocese, reports http://Aysor.am .

“The Catholicos of All Armenians— as a national unity symbol—has every right to respond to events of national significance and to participate in efforts to overcome serious challenges faced by the Armenian people and the state.

Moreover, the election of the Catholicos will take place at a national special ecclesiastical assembly attended by all lay and clerical delegates from Armenia and the diaspora.

In other words, the election of the Father and Head of All Armenians is not conducted solely by Armenian citizens or local authorities; rather, representatives from Armenia and the diaspora—clergy and laity—take part in the electoral process.

Therefore, the Prime Minister’s personal or political interest–driven demand for the Catholicos’s resignation lacks any legal basis, and from a moral standpoint is unacceptable and offensive to the faith and spiritual dignity of the Armenian nation.

As for the call to ‘free the See’, this too is illegal and an attack on the spiritual center of all Armenians. The See and Holy Etchmiadzin are not mere administrative structures and holy places, but the conscience of our people where the sacred and spiritual heritage of our nation is preserved.

As faithful members and representatives of the people of the Switzerland Diocese, we strongly condemn the Prime Minister’s calls and view them as meddling in church affairs and a direct attack on the spiritual center— the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.

We warn that such steps may have irreversible consequences for public security and national unity. If the Armenian authorities do not stop these anti‑church and anti‑national processes, we in the diaspora will take appropriate actions,” the statement reads.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that “the Armenian Apostolic Church must have a newly elected Catholicos” and called on the faithful to mobilize around the agenda of “liberating the Mother See” and electing a truly holy spiritual leader as Catholicos of All Armenians.

He wrote this on his Facebook page: “Karekin II violated the celibacy vow he voluntarily undertook and has a child. This is a fact, and if Garegin II tries to deny it, I will prove it in the required format. Accordingly, he could not be a bishop, archbishop, could not be elected, and cannot be Catholicos. Archbishop Nersisyan must free the See.”